Device and method of tracking target object

Abstract

A target object tracking device is provided. The device includes a memory for storing association information in which a selecting order of target objects is associated with symbols indicating the target objects, respectively, a starting selection accepting module for accepting a selection of the target objects to start tracking thereof, a symbol reading module for reading the symbols for the selected target objects corresponding to the selecting order of the target objects based on the association information, a tracking module for tracking the selected target objects, a symbol displaying module for displaying the symbols read by the symbol reading module, at positions where the target objects tracked by the tracking module are displayed, and a symbol changing module for changing, according to an operation of a user, the association information and displaying the symbols at the positions where the target objects are displayed, based on the changed association information.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A radar apparatus comprising:
 a target object tracking device, comprising:
 a memory configured to store association information in which a selecting order of target objects is associated with symbols indicating the target objects, respectively; 
 a starting selection accepting module configured to accept a selection of the target objects to start tracking thereof; 
 a symbol reading module configured to read the symbols for the selected target objects corresponding to the selecting order of the target objects based on the association information; 
 a tracking module configured to track the selected target objects; 
 a symbol displaying module configured to display the symbols ready for the symbol reading module, at positions where the target objects tracked by the tracking module are displayed; and 
 a symbol changing module configured to change, according to an operation of a user, the association information and to display the symbols at the positions where the target objects are displayed, based on the changed association information; 
 
 a display controller configured to create a radar image by processing reflection signals received in response to transmission signals transmitted from the radar apparatus; and 
 a display unit configured to display the symbols of the target objects by overlapping them on the radar image. 
 
     
     
       2. The radar apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the target object tracking device further comprises a takeover selection accepting module configured to accept a selection of a first target object that is currently tracked and a second target object that takes over the symbol associated with the first target object, 
 the symbol changing module changes the association information based on the selection accepted by the takeover selection accepting module so that the symbol associated with the first target object is associated with the second target object, and 
 the symbol changing module displays the symbol at the position where the second target object is displayed based on the changed association information. 
 
     
     
       3. The radar apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein
 when the second target object is already tracked and a symbol is associated with the second target object, the symbol changing module switches the symbols associated with the first and second target objects therebetween. 
 
     
     
       4. The radar apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein
 the target object tracking device further comprises the takeover selection accepting module is further configured to accept a selection of a third target object of which the tracking is failed and a fourth target object that takes over the symbol associated with the third target object, and 
 the symbol changing module operates such that the fourth target object takes over the symbol associated with the third target object based on the selection accepted by the takeover selection accepting module. 
 
     
     
       5. The radar apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least in a part of the association information stored in the memory, the symbol associated with the target object selected N-th in the selecting order is the same as the symbol associated with the target object selected M-th in the selecting order. 
     
     
       6. The radar apparatus of  claim 1 , where at least in a part of the association information stored in the memory, shapes of the symbols are different according to the selecting order of the target object. 
     
     
       7. The radar apparatus of  claim 1 , where at least in a part of the association information stored in the memory, strings of letters of the symbols are different according to the selecting order of the target object. 
     
     
       8. The radar apparatus of  claim 1 , where at least in a part of the association information stored in the memory, hue, chroma and brightness of the symbols are different according to the selecting order of the target object. 
     
     
       9. The radar apparatus of  claim 1 , where at least in a part of the association information stored in the memory, display modes of target object tracks serving as the symbols are different according to the selecting order of the target object. 
     
     
       10. The radar apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a radar antenna configured to discharge the transmission signals to outside of the radar apparatus and receive the reflection signals. 
 
     
     
       11. A radar apparatus comprising:
 a target object tracking device, comprising:
 a memory configured to store association information in which target object numbers applied to target objects that are tracked are associated with symbols indicating the target objects, respectively; 
 a starting selection accepting module configured to accept a selection of the target objects to start tracking thereof; 
 a symbol reading module configured to apply the target object numbers to the selected target objects and read the symbols corresponding to the target object numbers based on the association information; 
 a tracking module configured to track the selected target objects; 
 a symbol displaying module configured to display the symbols read by the symbol reading module at positions where the target objects tracked by the tracking module are displayed; and 
 a symbol changing module configured to change, according to an operation of a user, the association information and display the symbols at the positions where the target objects are displayed, based on the changed association information; 
 
 a display controller configured to create a radar image by processing reflection signals received in response to transmission signals transmitted from the radar apparatus; and 
 a display unit configured to display the symbols of the target objects by overlapping them on the radar image. 
 
     
     
       12. The radar apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein
 the target object tracking device further comprises a takeover selection accepting module configured to accept a selection of a first target object that is currently tracked and a second target object that takes over the symbol associated with the first target object, 
 the symbol changing module changes the association information based on the selection accepted by the takeover selection accepting module so that the symbol associated with the first target object is associated with the second target object, and 
 the symbol changing module displays the symbol at the position where the second target object is displayed based on the changed association information. 
 
     
     
       13. The radar apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein when the second target object is already tracked and a symbol is associated with the second target object, the symbol changing module switches the symbols associated with the first and second target objects therebetween. 
     
     
       14. The radar apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein
 the target object tracking device further comprises the takeover selection accepting module is further configured to accept a selection of a third target object of which the tracking is failed and a fourth target object that takes over the symbol associated with the third target object, and 
 the symbol changing module operates such that the fourth target object takes over the symbol associated with the third target object based on the selection accepted by the takeover selection accepting module. 
 
     
     
       15. A method for controlling a radar apparatus to display tracked target objects, comprising:
 creating, by a processor of the radar apparatus, a radar image on a display by processing reflection signals received in response to transmission signals transmitted from the radar apparatus; 
 accepting by the radar apparatus a selection of the target objects to start tracking thereof; 
 reading, by the processor based on association information in which an order of selecting target objects is respectively associated with symbols indicating the target objects, the symbols for the selected target objects corresponding to the selecting order of the target objects; 
 tracking, by the processor, the selected target objects; 
 displaying on the display, as controlled by the processor, the read symbols at positions where the tracked target objects are displayed by overlapping the read symbols on the radar image; and 
 changing, as controlled by the processor, the association information according to an operation of a user and displaying the symbols at the positions where the target objects are displayed, based on the changed association information. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising
 accepting by the radar apparatus a selection of a first target object that is currently tracked and a second target object that takes over the symbol associated with the first target object, 
 changing, by the processor, the association information based on the selection accepted by the takeover selection so that the symbol associated with the first target object is associated with the second target object, and 
 displaying on the display, as controlled by the processor, the symbol at the position where the second target object is displayed based on the changed association information. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein
 when the second target object is already tracked and a symbol is associated with the second target object, the changing switches the symbols associated with the first and second target objects therebetween. 
 
     
     
       18. The method radar apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising
 accepting by the radar apparatus a selection of a third target object of which the tracking is failed and a fourth target object that takes over the symbol associated with the third target object, and 
 changing, by the processor, the fourth target object takes over the symbol associated with the third target object based on the selection accepted. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 controlling, by the processor, a radar antenna to discharge the transmission signals to outside of the radar apparatus and receive the reflection signals. 
 
     
     
       20. The radar apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a radar antenna configured to discharge the transmission signals to outside of the radar apparatus and receive the reflection signals.